About Me

When not nosing, tasting, drinking and reading about malt whisky, I own one of Israel's premiere boutique coaching practices, specializing in small businesses and executive teams.
Trained in the law, I was an international law attorney and took part in Israel's peace negotiations with the Palestinians, as well as representing my country at the UN for parts of the negotiations on the implementation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Later I was appointed to the military bench.
My favorite thing, other than whisky, is teaching.
You can contact me through the social media buttons above or by email: michael(at)maltandoak.com, replacing the (at) with an @.

Statement of Integrity and Guidelines

Malt and Oak is an independent whisky blog, offering my own views, opinions and news from the world of malt whisky.
These are my guidelines:

1. All whisky reviews published are of whiskies I have personally tasted and noted. Guest bloggers only write about their own personal tastings.

2. With the exception of official whisky samples, I accept no consideration whatsoever from any distillery, bottler, distributor, drink company or store for my opinions.

3. I maintain strict impartiality and objectivity in tasting all whiskies, not least when tasting official samples. Any review of official whisky samples sent to me will be so noted in the post.

4. I will accept invitations to tastings, events and official visits, and full disclosure will be made on any tasting notes and articles resulting from these events or visits.

5. Any sample received over 30 ml in volume is shared with fellow whisky bloggers. In any event, no sample larger than 100 ml will be accepted.

6. No advertisements promoting specific brands will be accepted.

7. I will answer any inquiry by my readers as quickly and as fully as possible.

8. Should I give a link purchase the reviewed whisky, it will be given free of any commercial interest. The link given will always point to cheapest selling price I found on the web. No commission is paid, nor any other consideration given, for such link.

9. As of July 2017, I serve as Douglas Laing’s Israel brand ambassasdor. As such, I will obviously not be posting reviews of Douglas Laing products.

One Quick Dram: Finlaggan Old Islay Reserve Cask Strength

Photo Credit: beowein.eshop.t-online.de

Conventional wisdom says this is a Lagavulin, though I have heard it being referred to as a Caol Ila, Ardbeg and Laphroaig.

Who’s right? I really have no idea. I personally subscribe to the young Ardbeg theory, as I tasted the Finlaggan and the Smokehead together, and found the same traces of a similar new make in both. However, I had this tasting together with Klaus Pinkernell, owner of the Cadenhead’s shop in Berlin, and he didn’t get quite the same nose on I did. Yet others picked up the Lagavulin signature wood smoke notes. Thus, the distillery remains a mystery. What is very clear is that this bottle gives great value, priced very moderately at around 40 Euros, which is about half the going rate for Islay cask strength expressions.

Finlaggan Old Islay Reserve Cask Strength (58% ABV, NCF, NC)

Color: Gold with slow legs.

Nose: Big maritime peat nose with light citrus and a sweetish new make that’s very close to the Smokehead (a known Ardbeg), medicinal aromas with a lot of salt. The ex bourbon cask is there too, hiding behind the peat. With the addition of water the new make is even more pronounced, attesting to the young age of this whisky.

Palate: Salt, sweet peat and new make with a lovely full body mouth feel.

Linger: Long linger with salt, sweetness, peat and – surprisingly – spice staying with you for a nice while.

Conclusion

This is good whisky, albeit somewhat young, but that isn’t necesserarily a disadvantage with heavily peated whisky, with a terrific VFM (value for money).